ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Miguel Olivo and Richie Sexson hit two-run homers in a five-run fourth, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-4 Sunday to complete an improbable four-game sweep of the AL West leaders.

The Angels’ lead over second-place Texas was trimmed to five games, while the last-place Mariners are 121/2 games off the pace.

The Mariners have the third-worst record in the AL, and had lost 12 of 16 entering the series. The Angels have the league’s second-best mark, and had won 13 of 16 coming in.

The winning streak is the Mariners’ longest since last August, while the skid is the Angels’ longest since last July.

The Mariners entered the series with the fewest runs and lowest batting average in the AL, but outscored Los Angeles 33-13 and had 47 hits in the four games. The Angels have the AL’s second-best team ERA.

Gil Meche (9-6) earned the victory, allowing six hits and four runs in six innings. Eddie Guardado, the fifth Seattle pitcher, worked the ninth to convert his 20th straight save opportunity and 21st in 22 chances.

The Mariners went ahead for good with their third five-run inning of the series. Willie Bloomquist and Jose Lopez hit back-to-back doubles to start the fourth, and Olivo followed with his third homer to chase rookie Ervin Santana (3-4) and make it 5-3. Kevin Gregg relieved, and gave up a single to Ichiro Suzuki and Sexson’s 18th homer with two outs.

The Angels cut Seattle’s lead to 7-4 when Vladimir Guerrero opened the sixth with his 16th homer. Jeff Nelson struck out Guerrero with two outs and the bases loaded to end the seventh, and pitched a 1-2-3 eighth.

The Angels took a 2-0 lead in the first on two-out, RBI singles by Juan Rivera and Bengie Molina. The runs were unearned because Darin Erstad reached base on interference by catcher Olivo.

The Mariners tied it in the third on a two-run double by Raul Ibanez. The Angels went ahead 3-2 in the bottom half when Erstad scored while Juan Rivera was grounding into a forceout.

Santana allowed six hits and five runs in three-plus innings.

Notes: The Angels hadn’t been swept at home in a four-game series since the Mariners accomplished the feat in April 2002. … Suzuki extended his hitting streak to 11 games, and Bloomquist has hit in a career-high eight straight. … Erstad also reached on interference by Olivo in the first inning Thursday night. Erstad has gotten on by way of catcher’s interference four times this season. … Meche struck out the side in the second. He had only one other strikeout in the game. … Angels manager Mike Scioscia said there’s a good chance OF Steve Finley (strained right shoulder) and SS Orlando Cabrera (straight right elbow) will be activated at some point during the Angels’ four-game series in Minnesota that begins Thursday night.

AP-ES-07-10-05 1917EDT

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